1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to police cars and, more particularly, to radar guns and video cameras associated with police cars.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One problem currently associated with police cars is that when a police officer is repeatedly exposed to radar waves from a radar gun, the police officer may have an increased risk of cancer. In this respect, it would be desirable if a radar gun device were installed on a police car in a location remote from the police officer who is aiming and using the radar gun.
Another problem currently associated with law enforcement is the interaction between the police officer and the suspect during an arrest and questioning. A suspect may fabricate a story of improper conduct by a police officer. On the other hand, a police officer may act improperly toward a suspect. In this respect, it would be desirable if an audio and video recording device were provided which recorded the events leading up to and occurring during an arrest and custodial situation. By there being a recording made of the events leading up to and occurring during an arrest or custodial situation, a police officer may be deterred from acting improperly. Furthermore, the recording of the events may deter a suspect from fabricating a false story about improper police conduct. Such a recording device would serve to protect both the police officer and the suspect from false accusations and improper conduct.
To some extent, video cameras are currently in use in law enforcement. The video cameras are hand carried and take a police officer away from normal police duties. In this respect, it would be desirable if a video recording device were provided did not take police officer away from normal police duties.
Often, when a police officer in a police car is contemplating stopping a suspect, the police officer turns on the siren and flashing lights of the police car. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that automatically turned on an audio and video recording device when the siren and flashing lights of the police car are turned on.
Once a suspect is placed on the back seat of the police car, the conduct of the suspect and the conduct of the police officer may be very important. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that automatically turned on an audio and video recording device when a suspect sat on the back seat of a police car.
To protect a police officer from unwanted exposure to radar waves from a radar gun, it would be desirable if the police officer were shielded from the radar gun by a metal barrier. Thus, it would be desirable if a remotely-controlled radar gun were shielded from the police officer by a metal shield.
Once a police car gives chase to a suspect, the most important areas of interaction between the suspect and the police officer are generally either in front of the police car, as the police car follows the suspect's vehicle, and behind the police car, when the police car pulls in front of the suspects vehicle. Thus, it would be desirable if an audio and video recording device would record events taking place in front of and behind the police car.
To assure that the recording of audio and video information is not prematurely halted, it would be desirable if the audio and video recording device would include a timer assembly to assure that the audio and video recording takes place for a predetermined period of time.
Generally a police car has a light fixture, for flashing lights, mounted on the roof of the police car. For both aesthetic and utilitarian purposes, it would be desirable if a remotely-controlled radar gun and video recording apparatus could be mounted on a roof-mounted light fixture of a police car.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to roof-mounted light fixtures, and the following U.S. Pat. Nos. are representative of some of those innovations: 3,789,358; 3,997,868; 4,104,614; 4,543,622; and 4,931,768. It is noted that none of the above-cited patents disclose any root-mounted light fixture that includes either a radar gun or an audio and video recording device.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use radar guns and video cameras in police work, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a remotely-controlled radar gun and video recording apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) a radar gun device installed on a police car in a location remote from the police officer who is aiming and using the radar gun; (2) an audio and video recording device for recording the events leading up to and occurring during an arrest and custodial situation; (3) automatically turns on an audio and video recording device when the siren and flashing lights of the police car are turned on; (4) automatically turns on an audio and video recording device when a suspect sits on the back seat of a police car; (5) shields the police officer from the radar gun by a metal barrier; (6) records events taking place in front of and behind the police car; (7) is mounted on a roof-mounted light fixture of the police car; (8) includes a timer assembly to assure that the audio and video recording process takes place for a predetermined period of time; and (9) does not take a police officer away from normal police duties. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique remotely-controlled radar gun and video recording apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.